OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I don't know if this has been posted before but I think it makes interesting reading. It's been updated 23 Dec 2011.

http://www.ittf.com/stories/pictures/pl ... _23_12.pdf

Part of me is pleased to see the ITTF print this, part of me is glad to see people being caught - and not just for VOC infringment. But part of me is concerned that so many have been caught in what is supposed to be a clean sport and that's assuming there isn't a lot more infringment which goes on and which isn't being detected.

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Blade: Peter Freundlieb Custom Made, FH Black Rakza 7 max, BH Red Butterfly Challenga Attack 1.5mm

Quite a few Women players

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That's very interesting... I have not seen that before, nor did I know they published that. I wonder why they only started making such a list since Sept 2010?

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Wasn't that around the time they introduced / amended the wording of laws 2.04.07 and 2.04.07.01
2.04.07 - The racket covering shall be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.
2.04.07.01 - Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of colour due to accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not significantly change the characteristics of the surface.

Maybe with this rewording they thought "they" now had something to work with.

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Blade: Peter Freundlieb Custom Made, FH Black Rakza 7 max, BH Red Butterfly Challenga Attack 1.5mm

There were a lot of big names that were disqualified for equipment violations like Wang Ligin and Chen Weixing, but the "ITTF Cheaters List" only started after they came up with their 4 strikes policy, which went into effect September 1, 2010.

The list now is mainly lesser players trying to even the playing field against the big guns who have their tuning done by professionals.

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Coach Li: Kill the game against long pimps! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAHNaiIhnWM

Interesting link, thank you.

So it's a four strikes in a four year period and you get a 12 month ban from ITTF events. I don't see anyone on the list who's had more than 3 infringements.

What I don't understand is that some people had 2 infringements on the same day. How can this happen unless either:
a) results aren't known for at least 24hrs from testing or
b) someone was caught, and then was foolish enough to use "changed" equipment on the same day again!

I'm also not sure how the penalties work. Disqualification from the individual match for the first time, and the team event if you infringe a second time. So what happens if I'm at a tournement and I'm competing in the U21, and seniors but not a team event. I infringe in the U21 so I'm disqualified from that event, I infringe again in the senior competition. As the penalty for a second infringement seems only to apply to team events I guess I could argue I should be allowed to continue to compete in the seniors as it's not a team event! ie the penalty for a second infringement has no effect on me?!

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Blade: Peter Freundlieb Custom Made, FH Black Rakza 7 max, BH Red Butterfly Challenga Attack 1.5mm

Probably their bat failed. Then their backup bat failed. In both cases the third infraction was the next day. I'll bet they glued a new rubber and it failed right out of the package.

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Coach Li: Kill the game against long pimps! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAHNaiIhnWM

It would be interesting, at least to me, to be able to sort the list by each catagory
tOD

113 infringements in 16 months may seem like a lot, but I wonder how it compares with other sports. I wonder what the IOC's list for drug testing looks like? FINA must keep a list of infringements of the rules on swimming suits, and CARS must also record violations of the multiple regulations around car specifications, yes?

The other factor is how equipment dependent TT has become. Given there are thousands upon thousands of TT players using an extraordinary number of rubbers and sponges, plus the recent history of speed gluing and boosting, it's hardly a surprise that testing equipment turns up violations.

And before any of us get all excited about the number of infractions turned up by racket control, it might be useful to remember how many forum members are happy to use equipment which they know is outside the racket guidelines - http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16120&p=194771&hilit=poll#p194771.

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Finding an average of only seven infringements per month is almost laughably inept. My understanding is this company has a large client list that will knock your socks off.

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Coach Li: Kill the game against long pimps! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAHNaiIhnWM

There aren't that many ITTF events though... and if you remember events like the Australian open, no-one was caught there, as there was no testing.

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Wondering about the number of infractions on thickness. Do the players actually use premade illegal ("max ++") rubbers, do they have their own combinations made from topsheet+sponge and somehow measure wrong, or is it caused by topsheet or sponge treatment?

Perhaps a combination of those. In any case I guess it's just as grave and just as deliberate as the VOC cases, if not more so. Perhaps my view is biased by the fact that the only norwegian on the list is in breach of that rule.

I constantly try to convey the "clean game" attitude to our young players, and constatnly I am asked for advice on "tricks". (To be fair, most questions are about playing techniqe, and not equipment modifications.) I generally have the same answer to every such question: "There is no short cuts".

Sadly, in the short term my advice may cause our players to lose to players who take some of those illegal short cuts. Going there myself would be even sadder, though.

I'm sure there can be many legit reasons for having a rubber too thick... poor quality control by the manufacturer is probably the biggest one.

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Apparently the ITTF Athletes Commission is looking into this among other things. Here are their recommendations...

Racket Control
Racket control has seen many changes since solvent based speed glue was banned in 2008.

The use of mineral oil boosters (a VOC-free alternative providing similar effects to speed glue) became widespread; so the International Table Tennis Federation introduced new rules and racket testing procedures to counter this trend.

Unquestionably, the Athletes’ Commission believes that nothing less than a level playing field for all players can be accepted. It is believed that many of the current racket testing procedures have become intrusive and not 100% reliable.
Athletes’ Commission Recommendations
.......Racket testing be completed pre-match rather than post-match.
……Racket testing procedures be relaxed and focused on eliminating dangerous VOC levels.

You can see the whole thing here:

http://ooakforum.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=25&t=18377

I wonder how much weight this will carry given that the ITTF seems to be on a "witch hunt" in respect to any alteration of the racket coverings. I mean the parts per million they have set is already beyond ridiculously low levels, when a new sheet of rubber has to be aired out before it can be used.

Good luck Athletes' Commission in bringing common sense back to racket testing.

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We're still waiting for the outcome of the 2012 AGM, where the athletes commission questioned the current procedures... i hope something comes out of that...

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Table Tennis Reviews / Articles | Table Guide | Robot Guide
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My setup: Blade: Re-Impact OOAK Dark Knight | BH: Dtecs OX red | FH: JUIC 999 Turbo 2.0mm blk
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